Gaston LeGume is the main antagonist of Disney's 30th full-length animated feature film Beauty and the Beast (which is based on the 1756 French fairytale of the same name by the late Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont), and its 2017 live action adaptation of the same name. He is also one of the supporting antagonists in Mickey's House of Villains. He is a treacherous, chauvinistic, egotistical, deceptive and arrogant hunter from Belle's village who was after Belle's hand in marriage by any means necessary.

In the original 1991 film, he was voiced by Richard White. In the 2017 live action film, he was portrayed by Luke Evans, who previously played Owen Shaw in the Fast & Furious franchise by Universal Pictures.

Contents

Personality

“

He's handsome, all right, and rude, and conceited. Oh, Papa, he's not for me.

„

~ Belle commenting to Maurice about Gaston's chauvinistic nature.

Gaston initially happens to be a handsome and muscular hunter who certainly likes to brag of his abilities toward others for pleasure. However, beneath his charming looks is an extremely rude, impatient, manipulative and narcissistic person who is willing to appeal to his own ego by any means necessary.

He is very conservative and narrow-minded to the extent that he disapproves intellectualism as he regards ideas as "dangerous pastimes"; he is also extremely misogynistic and lascivious, as he believes that women's sole purpose in life is to serve and obey men. Because of his charming looks, he is well-respected in the village as he was able to rouse up a mob to help him kill the Beast, although it was clear that he cared nothing for the villagers in general as he was using them all as pawns to justify his own needs.

He is also shown to be completely lustful and provocative towards Belle, as he plans to marry her because of her beautiful looks as opposed to her nonconformist and unconventional personality. Even when Belle made it clear that she does not want to be with Gaston (with LeFou pointing out that the other women in the village are quite fond of Gaston), the latter still wants to marry Belle to satisfy his own ego, proving to be quite regardless of her feelings or anyone else's. He even feels extremely possessive and jealous after learning that Belle has feelings for the Beast, which only incites him in hunting down the Beast so that he can have Belle for himself. He is also very abusive, insulting, vituperative, uncomplimentary and argumentative towards LeFou and his buddies, as he would subject them to pain and suffering whenever things go wrong (even if it is not their fault).

Despite his anti-intellectualism, Gaston is also very intelligent and knowledgeable, as he can come up with clever plans to get what he wants, such as throwing Belle's father Maurice into the local asylum in order to blackmail Belle into marriage, as well as manipulating the villagers into helping him kill the Beast in case his plan would fail. In spite of his intelligence, Gaston can also be quite spontaneous and impulsive, as shown when he tried to grope Belle by menacingly cornering her announcing "Say you'll marry me." before attempting to kiss her, which forced a disgusted Belle to throw him out of her house in retaliation. In addition, he is extremely cunning, reckless and passionate, as shown during the climax when he took his chance to fatally attack the Beast without assessing any perilous risks, which ultimately led to his own demise.

Reception

Gaston is considered one of Disney's most popular villains. He is ranked #11 in an official poll, and the Nostalgia Critic placed him as the 5th best Disney villain, citing him as being different from most other Disney villains in that he was not evil from the start. Fans on the Internet often jokingly idolize him similar to how the townspeople do in the movie, giving birth to the "No one (X) like Gaston" meme, and the "Gaston" song, in particular, is a very popular source for YouTube Poop.

Quotes

1991 film

“

How can you read this? There are no pictures! (Belle: Well, someone has to use their own imagination.) Belle, it's about time you got your head out of those books and paid attention to more important things, like me! The whole town's talking about it. It's not right for a woman to read, first she starts getting ideas and thinking...

„

~ Gaston making a terrible attempt to woo Belle.

“

This is the day your dreams come true. (Belle: What do you know about my dreams, Gaston?) Plenty. Picture this: A rustic hunting lodge, my latest kill roasting on the fire, and my little wife massaging my feet, while the little ones play on the floor with the dogs. We'll have six or seven. (Belle: Dogs?) No, Belle Strapping boys like me. (Belle: Imagine that.) And do you know who that little wife will be? (Belle: Let me think...) You, Belle! (Belle: Gaston, I'm..... speechless. I really don't know what to say.) Say you'll marry me. (Belle: I'm very sorry, Gaston, but.... but..... I just don't deserve you!)

„

~ Gaston making his wedding proposal to Belle (to no avail).

“

Who does she think she is? That girl has tangled with the wrong man! No one says no to Gaston! (LeFou: Darn right.) Dismissed, rejected, publicly humiliated... why it's more than I can bear!! (LeFou: More beer?) What for? Nothing helps. I'm disgraced! (LeFou: Who? YOU? Never! Gaston, you've got to pull yourself together!)

„

~ Gaston fuming over his failed wedding proposal to Belle.

“

It's like this: I got my heart set on marrying Belle. But she needs a little.... persuasion. (LeFou: Turned him down flat.) Everyone knows that her father's a lunatic. He was in here tonight raving about a beast in a castle. (D'Arque: Maurice is harmless.) The point is... Belle would do anything to keep him from being locked up.

„

~ Gaston forming a plan to blackmail Belle into marrying him.

“

They have to come back sometime. And when they do, we'll be ready for them. LeFou, don't move from that spot until Belle and her father come home!

„

~ Gaston telling LeFou to stay at Belle's house to wait for Belle and Maurice's return.

“

Poor Belle, it's a shame about your father. (Belle: You know he's not crazy, Gaston.) I think I may be able to clear up this little misunderstanding.... if..... (Belle: If what?) ..... if you marry me. (Belle: WHAT?!) One little world, Belle. That's all it takes. (Belle: NEVER!!) Have it your way.

„

~ Gaston trying to blackmail Belle into marrying him as Maurice is about to be taken away to the asylum.

“

If I didn't know better, I say you have feelings for this monster. (Belle: He's no monster, Gaston! YOU ARE!!) She's as crazy as the old man!

„

~ Gaston snapping at Belle after learning that she's in love with the Beast.

“

The Beast will make off with your children! He'll come after them in the night! (Belle: No!) We're not safe 'til his head is mounted on my wall! I say we KILL THE BEAST!

„

~ Gaston rallying the villagers to kill the Beast.

“

KILL THE BEAST! (Belle: No! I won't let you do this!) If you're not with us, you're against us! Bring the old man! (Maurice: Get your hands off me!) We can't have them running off to warn the creature! (Belle: Let us out!) We'll rid the village of this beast! Who's with me?!

„

~ Gaston as he locks Belle and her father in their house.

“

We'll lay siege to the castle and BRING BACK HIS HEAD!!!

„

~ Gaston leading the townspeople to attack the Beast's castle.

“

Take whatever booty you can find, but remember... THE BEAST IS MINE!!!

„

~ Gaston encouraging the townspeople to raid the Beast's castle under the condition that he alone will kill the Beast.

“

Get up! GET UP!! What's the matter, Beast? Too kind and gentle to fight back?

„

~ Gaston taunting the Beast.

“

Come on out and FIGHT!! Were you in love with her, Beast? Did you honestly think she'd want you when she had someone like me?!

„

~ Gaston mocking the Beast.

“

It's over, Beast!! BELLE IS MINE!! (gets knocked down by the Beast, who holds him up on the roof over the moat) Let me go! Let me go! Please... don't hurt me!! I'll do anything!! ANYTHING!!!

„

~ Gaston's last words before his death.

2017 film

“

Look at her, LeFou. My future wife..... Belle is the most beautiful girl in the village, and that makes her the best.

„

~ Gaston to LeFou about Belle.

“

For your dinner table, shall I join you this evening?

„

~ Gaston presenting Belle with a bouquet of flowers and asking her out on a date which Belle turns down due to his inappropriate and offensive behavior.

“

It's outrageously attractive, isn't it?

„

~ Gaston remarking to LeFou about how attractive Belle is.

“

You are the wildest, most gorgeous thing I've ever seen. Nobody deserves you. But at least I know our children will be beautiful.

„

~ Gaston admiring himself through a mirror.

“

I'm not done with you yet.

„

~ Gaston to his reflection on the mirror.

“

Belle! I heard you had trouble with the headmaster. He never liked me either. Can I give you a little advice about the villagers, though? They are never going to trust the kind of change you're trying to bring.

„

~ Gaston telling Belle that the villagers will never trust Belle's change of teaching a child to read.

“

The only children you should concern yourself with are... your own.

„

~ Gaston telling Belle that she should start concerning more with her own future children.

“

Oh, Belle. Do you know what happens to spinsters in these villages after their fathers die? (pointing at a beggar woman) They beg for scraps like poor Agatha.

„

~ Gaston warning Belle that she will end up as a beggar woman after her father eventually dies if she doesn't marry him.

“

Picture it, LeFou. A rustic cabin, my latest kill roasting on the fire, adorable children running around, just as my love rubs my tired feet. And what does Belle say? "I will never marry you, Gaston". (LeFou: You know, there are other girls.) A great hunter doesn't waste his time on rabbits.

„

~ Gaston ranting about his unsuccessful marriage proposal to Belle before ignoring LeFou's advice to charm the other village girls.

“

I'll help, Maurice. (Maurice: You will?) Everybody, stop making fun of this man at once.

„

~ Gaston offering to "help" Maurice to rescue Belle from the Beast.

“

If you say "Beast" one more time, I WILL FEED YOU TO THE WOLVES!!!

„

~ Gaston threatening Maurice to leave him to the wolves if he says Beast one more time.

“

If Maurice won't give me his blessing, then he is in my way. Once the wolves have finished with him, Belle will have no one to take care of her but me.

„

~ Gaston planning to murder Maurice by leaving him to be fed by the wolves.

“

There are no such things as beasts, or talking teacups, or magic. But there are wolves, frostbite and starvation!

„

~ Gaston disbelieving Maurice's claim about the Beast.

“

Agathe? You'd hang your accusations on the testimony of a filthy hag? No offense, Agathe.

„

~ Gaston's disbelief on Agathe saving Maurice.

“

This is sorcery!

„

~ Gaston stealing the Magic Mirror after Belle reveals the Beast's existence to the villagers.

“

The monster has her under a spell. If I didn't know better, I say she even care for him!

„

~ Gaston mocking Belle as she would prefer a "monster" over him before Belle tells Gaston that he is the real monster, not the Beast.

“

We can't have them running off to warn the Beast, lock her up too.

„

~ Gaston before ordering Monsieur D' Arque to lock Belle in the wagon in order to prevent her from warning the Beast.

“

This creature will curse us all if we don't stop him! WELL, I SAY WE KILL THE BEAST!!!

„

~ Gaston encouraging the villagers into helping him murder the Beast.

“

Sorry, old friend. It's hero time.

„

~ Gaston after he betrays LeFou by using him as a human shield to defend himself from the Beast's servants.

“

Hello, Beast. I'm Gaston. Belle sent me. Were you in love with her? Did you honestly think she'd want you?

„

~ Gaston confronts a depressed Beast before shooting him with a pistol, yet not after taunting him into believing the Beast into telling him that Belle sent him there to kill him.

“

When we return to the village, you will marry me, and that Beast's head will hang on our wall!!

„

~ Gaston angrily vowing to force Belle to marry him after killing the Beast.

“

I'm coming for you, Beast!

„

~ Gaston to the Beast before fighting with him.

“

Don't let me go. Please, I'll do anything. Don't hurt me, Beast!!

„

~ Gaston's last words moments before falling off the castle to his death as he attempts to kill the Beast one last time.

Trivia

Gaston was darker in the 2017 remake.

In early drafts, he was known as Gaston LeGume; his original last name came from "legume", which means "vegetable" in French.

Gaston was created for the film and does not appear in the original fairytale Disney based the film on. Beauty's sisters (who were cut from the film) are the antagonists of the original fairytale.

Gaston was instead directly inspired by an antagonist alongside Belle's siblings in Jean Cocteau's 1946 adaptation of the original story, named "Avenant", who is a friend of Belle's brother. At the end of the film, he is punished by the Roman goddess Diana to take on the form of the Beast when Belle and the Beast profess their love for each other.

He is ranked #11 in the Top 30 Disney Villains.

Gaston was going to be voiced by Rupert Everett, the same actor who also played Doctor Claw in the live action film adaptation of Inspector Gadget, and voiced Prince Charming in the two DreamWorks films Shrek 2 and Shrek the Third. However, Everett was denied because he did not sound arrogant enough, something he would later keep in mind when voicing Prince Charming.

The animators researched high school and college jock stereotypes to create Gaston's menacing and arrogant mannerisms.

Gaston acts as a liberal foil to the Beast, as they are both egotistical men who want to have Belle for selfish reasons (the Beast wants Belle to help break his curse while Gaston wants her as his trophy wife). However, the Beast proves himself to be capable of change, compassion and courage as he is willing to ensure Belle's happiness and safety (such as saving her from a wolf pack, giving her a library, and letting her go to help her father), which allowed him to earn her love to break his curse. Gaston, on the other hand, refuses to change his ways out of his own arrogance and prefers to use dirty tricks to get what he wants, deeming himself far more evil than the Beast. In fact, Gaston can be seen as representing the sort of person that the Beast would have almost ended up becoming like if he had never met the Enchantress and Belle.

Gaston was not present in Kingdom Hearts II, despite being the main antagonist of Beauty and the Beast. Xaldin, a member of Organization XIII, serves as this world's main antagonist and reprises the role of Forte.

However, Gaston finally debuted in the Kingdom Hearts series in Kingdom Hearts chi.

Originally, Gaston was going to say to The Beast: "It's over Beast! Time to die!". This was changed, because it was slightly out of character, as Gaston is attempting to kill the Beast so that he can have Belle for himself.

When Gaston says "Belle is mine!", his lips instead sync to "Time to die!", implying that the filmmakers changed the line late in development.

In two mockbusters of the Disney version of The Hunchback of Notre Dame, namely the Golden Films version and The Secret of the Hunchback, the respective main villains are clearly based off Gaston, especially the Golden Films version.

Though Gaston persuaded the villagers to hunt the Beast by lying that he was a threat to the entire village (even though the Beast only left his castle twice to rescue Belle from a wolf pack and a lake of thin ice), Gaston ultimately decided to deal with the Beast himself, likely due to seeing him as a rival for Belle's affections and the villagers would potentially discover the Beast's peaceful nature if they discovered him before Gaston.

During his fall off the castle, you can quickly see that some skulls appear in his eyes, symbolizing that Gaston did not survive the fall into the castle moat.

During the production of the 1991 film, there were several alternative versions to Gaston's death:

After wounding the Beast, Gaston fell from the castle into the woods, where he has survived with a broken leg. However, he is confronted by several wolves who previously pursued Maurice and Belle. Without hesitation, the wolves close in on Gaston and mauled him to death. This scene was removed, but was later reused for the death of Scar in The Lion King (the wolves were replaced by Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed, and the Hyena Clan).

Another alternative version of his death was for Gaston to lay multiple stabbings on the Beast and commit suicide by falling to his death laughing maniacally, as he feels that no one else would have Belle if he cannot have her for himself, but not before he lashes out at Belle for ruining his pride and preferring the Beast over him. However, this was edited out since it was too dark, rewritten to have Gaston lose his footing after stabbing the Beast and only requiring one stab to finish him off.

Before Prince Hans from Frozen who is confirmed to be 23 years old, Gaston was the youngest major Disney villain to date, as most believe him to be around 25 years old.

In a Youtube series called The Frollo Show, Gaston is the deuteragonist and is Frollo's best friend. Ironically, he is portrayed as rather heroic, though otherwise, he is similar to personality to his Disney counterpart.